French Open Day 7: How long can clay-court umpiring go on like this? (2024)

Welcome back to the French Open Briefing, where The Athleticwill explain the stories behind the stories on each day of the tournament.

On Day 7 of Roland Garros 2024, there was contentious line calling on clay — again, a new French favorite and an all-American duel.

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Why have Hawk-Eye for viewers, but not umpires?

People watching the French Open at home have the luxury of an extra camera this year, and it proved its worth during a stunning point between Spanish third seed Carlos Alcaraz and American 27th seed Sebastian Korda on Friday night.

pic.twitter.com/g00UdtrI27

— BastinoMedia (@BastinoMedia) May 31, 2024

The only wrinkle?

This isn’t what it’s for.

Television viewers also get to see Hawk-Eye Innovations ball tracking, reviewing close calls on the screen after the point is over.

The only wrinkle?

Umpires can’t see it.

Now, spare a thought for Chinese seventh seed Zheng Qinwen, who was on the wrong end of not just an egregious line call in her agonising defeat against Elina Avanesyan but also a case of avoidable miscommunication. She was up a set and a break, 2-1 in the second, when on the first point of her service game, Avanesyan hit a backhand return that was called out by a line judge. When the umpire came down to inspect the mark — which was clearly visible as out on television cameras — she pointed to the incorrect one.

Qinwen was aghast, pleading her case to the umpire, who rubbed it in a little by saying “I showed you already” when returning to the chair.

After the match, she was magnanimous.

“I didn’t lose a match just because of a bad call. What I found hard to accept is that it happened in a Grand Slam, and the mistake was so obvious. Everybody makes mistakes, but she just pointed a mark that didn’t exist. That really amazes me.”

Those head cameras? They’re there to give television viewers a close-up view of umpires inspecting marks, but they’re only used on court Philippe Chatrier.

Qinwen’s match was on Simonne-Mathieu.

Who is France’s new hope in the women’s draw?

The weather has been frightful, but things are looking up for French tennis.

Friday night, Corentin Moutet pushed his way into the second week on the strength of a dozen underhand serves. Moutet, a dangerous lefty, has driven three bigger hitters mad playing the sort of tennis the French gorge on like steak frites: stylish, surprising, crafty.

Saturday it was Varvara Gracheva’s turn to enjoy the love on court Suzanne-Lenglen, just as Moutet had the night before. After beating Irina-Camelia Begu, she sang “La Marseillaise” on court with the French crowd, soaking it all in as she joined Moutet in the last 16.

A year ago, that would not have happened.

Gracheva, who was born in Moscow, only became a French citizen last June. She immediately became the French No. 2 and represented the country in the Billie Jean King Cup, leaning into her new-old home. Like many Russian tennis players, Gracheva, 23, has largely lived and trained in France since she was a teenager.

Pigeon Francier?

Sensational work from umpire Damien Dumusois, who rescued a pigeon that had fallen to the ground and injured itself on court Suzanne-Lenglen during the fourth set of Daniil Medvedev’s win over Tomas Machac.

The pigeon was still moving but clearly in discomfort when Dumusois, operating like an experienced pigeon handler, sidled up to the bird and managed to pick it up with the help of a towel. He handed it to a member of staff and with a quick wipe of some disinfectant was back up onto his chair.

Medvedev, while expressing sympathy for the pigeon, said the extra time at the changeover as the umpire dealt with the bird had been a blessed relief.

If only Dumusois had been wearing the head cam.

Is this Emma Navarro’s next breakout?

When people mention “Emma” in tennis they are generally talking about Emma Raducanu, the 2021 U.S. Open champion.

That might change before too long if Emma Navarro keeps this up. Navarro, a former NCAA champion, has been among the fastest-rising players in women’s tennis the past year. Saturday she notched her latest upset, ousting compatriot Madison Keys, the 14th seed.

Navarro, a New Yorker by birth who grew up in South Carolina, will play Aryna Sabalenka in the round of 16. That might sound like a tall task, but she’s got some memories to rely on: Navarro beat Sabalenka in Indian Wells in March.

Clay is different, of course, but Navarro does have some experience on the surface. There is no shortage of clay in South Carolina, and her father, Ben, owns the Charleston Open, the top women’s clay event in the U.S.

Shot of the day

MACHAC MADNESS 🤯

Tomas Machac just hit TWO left-handed forehands in a row to break Medvedev! 😲#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/QjxRveducn

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 1, 2024

📅 Today’s results:

• 🇫🇷 Varvara Gracheva def. 🇷🇴 Irina-Camelia Begu, 7-5, 6-3
• 🇰🇿 Elena Rybakina (4) def. 🇧🇪 Elize Mertens (25), 6-4, 6-2
• 🇧🇾 Aryna Sabalenka (2) def. 🇪🇸 Paula Badosa, 7-5, 6-1
• 🇷🇺 Elina Avanesyan def. 🇨🇳 Zheng Qinwen (7), 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (6)
• 🇷🇺 Mirra Andreeva def. 🇺🇸 Peyton Stearns, 6-2, 6-1
• 🇺🇸 Emma Navarro (22) def. 🇺🇸 Madison Keys (14), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3)
• 🇮🇹 Jasmine Paolini (12) def. 🇨🇦 Bianca Andreescu, 6-1, 3-6, 6-0
• 🇺🇦 Elina Svitolina (15) def. 🇷🇴 Ana Bogdan, 7-5, 6-2

• 🇨🇦 Felix Auger-Aliassime (21) def. 🇺🇸 Ben Shelton (15), 6-4, 6-2, 6-1
• 🇵🇱 Hubert Hurkacz (8) def. 🇨🇦 Denis Shapovalov, 6-3, 7-6 (0), 4-6, 6-1
• 🇧🇬 Grigor Dimitrov (10) def. 🇧🇪 Zizou Bergs (Q), 6-3, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-4
• 🇦🇺 Alex de Minaur (11) def. 🇩🇪 Jan-Lennard Struff, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3
• 🇩🇪 Alexander Zverev (4)def.🇳🇱 Tallon Griekspoor (25), 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (3)
• 🇦🇷 Francisco Cerundolo (23) def. 🇺🇸 Tommy Paul (14), 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2
• 🇳🇴 Casper Ruud (7) def. 🇦🇷 Tomas Martin Etcheverry (28), 6-4, 1-6, 6-2, 6-2
• 🇺🇸 Taylor Fritz (12) def. 🇦🇺 Thanasi Kokkinakis, 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (4), 5-7, 6-3
• 🇩🇰 Holger Rune (13) def. 🇸🇰 Jozef Kovalik (LL), 7-5, 6-1, 7-6 (2)
• 🇷🇺 Daniil Medvedev (5) def. 🇨🇿 Tomas Machac, 7-6 (4), 7-5, 1-6, 6-4
• 🇷🇸 Novak Djokovic (1) def. 🇮🇹 Lorenzo Musetti (30), 7-5, 6-7 (6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0

📅 Sunday’s order of play:

• 🇵🇱 Iga Swiatek (1) vs. 🇷🇺 Anastasia Potapova, first on Philippe-Chatrier
• 🇷🇸 Olga Danilovic (Q) vs. 🇨🇿 Marketa Vondrousova (5), first on Suzanne-Lenglen
• 🇺🇸 Coco Gauff (3) vs. 🇮🇹 Elisabetta Cocciaretto, second on Philippe-Chatrier
• 🇮🇹 Matteo Arnaldi vs. 🇬🇷 Stefanos Tsitsipas (9), second on Suzanne-Lenglen
• 🇨🇦 Felix Auger-Aliassime (21 vs. 🇪🇸 Carlos Alcaraz (3), third on Philippe-Chatrier
• 🇩🇰 Clara Tauson vs. 🇹🇳 Ons Jabeur (8), third on Suzanne-Lenglen
• 🇫🇷 Corentin Moutet vs. 🇮🇹 Jannik Sinner (2), fourth on Philippe-Chatrier
• 🇵🇱 Hubert Hurkacz (8) vs. 🇧🇬 Grigor Dimitrov (10), fourth on Suzanne-Lenglen

Tell us what you noticed on the seventh day as things continue …

(Top photo of Zheng Qinwen: Dimitar Dilkoff / Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)